Britton family killer seeks parole

Brian Britton is scheduled to appear before the New York State Parole Board the week of November 13 to request early release from prison. He is serving 25 years to life at Washington Correctional Facility in Comstock for the murder of his father Dennis Britton, mother Marlene, and then 8-year-old brother Jason as well as the attempted murder of Shafer when she was 18.(Photo: Courtesy photo)

Imagine the man who killed your mother, father and little brother walking the streets a free man.

Now imagine the killer is your brother and he tried to kill you, too.

This is the thought that haunts Sherry Shafer — the sister of Brian Britton and the only survivor to the rampage Britton went on nearly 27 years ago. The brutality of the case and the identity of the killer stunned Dutchess County residents.

“I fear that if he is released that he will come after me and finish what he didn't succeed at doing the first time,” Shafer said in a Facebook message to the Poughkeepsie Journal. “He has never shown remorse, he has never given a reason for what he did.”

Britton, 43, is scheduled to appear before the New York State Parole Board the week of Nov. 9 to request early release from prison. He is serving 25 years to life at Washington Correctional Facility in Comstock, Washington County, for the murder of his father Dennis Britton, mother Marlene, and 8-year-old brother Jason, as well as the attempted murder of Shafer when she was 18.

The then-16-year-old Brian Britton initially had told police that his family had been shot by a masked intruder; however, according to court documents, it was later learned that Brian Britton had been having ongoing conflicts with his parents and had confronted them on the morning of March 22, 1989 at their Town of Poughkeepsie home on Van Wagner Road.

It wasn’t easy for Shafer trying to explain what had happened as her children grew up. Her daughter, Shafer said, cautioned her about being alone.

“When my daughter was 5, out of nowhere she says to me: ‘Mommy, you have to be careful when walking in the woods so you don't get shot again,’” Shafer recalled.

Not only do her children fear for her safety, Shafer said her friends and neighbors do as well. That concern and support for Shafer is evidenced through the nearly 1,200 people who have signed a Change.org petition “Keep the serial killer Brian Britton in prison.”

Linda Cronk, a life-long Town of Poughkeepsie resident, is one of those who signed the online petition. Cronk and her family were shaken by the tragic death of her mother-in-law Laurie Ferguson just two years ago, when Ferguson was found stabbed to death in her home at Hyde Park Mobile Manor in Staatsburg. Cronk said her husband, Michael Cronk Jr., had reached out to Shafer.

“We’re not connected in any way, other than tragedy... I do remember her telling my husband that she was scared to death of him getting out,” Linda Cronk said in a telephone interview. “When I saw that petition…she needs what she needs. If she needs Brian to stay behind bars, then that’s where he should stay.”

This isn’t the first time Brian Britton has appeared before the parole board. He first appeared in June 2013 to request that six months be cut from his sentence — called Limited Credit Time Allowances — for good behavior and participation in programs, state corrections officials said. He was denied due to the “extreme violence” of the crime committed as well as the “disturbing” number of “disciplinary violations,” according to the board’s decision.

“Your comments during the interview show little insight for your past violent behavior,” the decision continues.

He reappeared again in November 2013 for his regularly scheduled parole board hearing and was denied a second time, with comments that echoed those from the last appearance.

Shafer said she, friends and family wrote letters to the board as well as provided a petition supporting Britton remaining behind bars at that time.

The review of records, the decision states, determined that Brian Britton’s release would be “incompatible with the welfare of society and would so deprecate the serious nature of the crime as to undermine the respect for the law.”

“The panel encourages you to develop a detailed release plan that establishes community support that can assist you in your goal to continue to get aggression therapy and successfully re-enter society,” it continues.

Having spent the majority of his life in prison, Linda Cronk expressed reservation in Brian Britton being rehabilitated.

“You don’t typically correct bad people by putting them around bad people,” she said. “From society’s standpoint, I think we would all be safer and better off if he stayed right where he is at this point.”

Each time Brian Britton is up for parole, Shafer said she feels as though she must relive that horrific event once again.

If the case had been taken to trial and Brian Britton was convicted, he faced possible consecutive sentences for the three murders and an assault charge from shooting Shafer.

“I would never have to deal with this because that would have been a minimum of 83 years in prison,” Shafer said, noting that if he lived to that point he’d be about 100 years old.

Instead, Brian Britton agreed to plead guilty in exchange for a single sentence of 25 years to life in state prison.

With the minimum sentence of 25 years met, he will have the opportunity to request parole every two years. Since he’s serving a life sentence, officials said he will only be released if parole grants it or he passes away.

This leaves Shafer battling a mix of emotions each time he has a hearing.

“Angry because he took away the lives of three people — two in the prime of their lives and one who never had the chance to live his life — and he has a chance of being released into freedom,” she said. “Scared because who knows if he will come after me again, scared of the thought of possibly seeing him and the events of that horrific day being released from their hidden spot in my brain.”